# Mold on a Lipstick



## viccckyhoang (Jan 3, 2014)

Hi there guys!

A GROSS topic to talk about but I ordered a lipstick about 6 months ago from a company which I will NOT list the company because I am currently contacting them about this whole issue to see what they say. Anyways, back on topic... I ordered 2 of their lipsticks and I have used both lipstick about 2-3x MAX but one of them have gone bad...

Yes... it has mold (pictures below of the bullet not the packaging bc MUT girls are detectives):





My camera is using flash so you can't really see the shade of the white bumps but trust me it is _white _and I'm 100% that my lipstick is not sweating.

There are white bumps growing *all over* the lipstick and I was totally disgusted (...not to mention this is only 6 months old!!!). I take care of my beauty products more than I should to be honest and I dump a TON out on a monthly basis. I've never seen ANY lipstick gone bad within 6 months and this brand is HIGH END (the lipstick costs around $25ish..remember I will not list the company because I'm still waiting for them to email me back). I feel bad emailing the company but the lipstick is less than 6 months old. I spent around $25 for each lipstick and only one of it has gone bad. I *rarely* carry my makeup bag with me for touch ups so it can't be "oh the heat" or "exposed air". I usually would apply my makeup for the day and then put it back where it belongs - in this case it will be my lip section area (pictured below).





Anyways, my question to you is:

Have you ever bought a product that quickly went bad? What would you do if this had happened to you?


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 3, 2014)

Please excuse me if my writing is scattered; I didn't double check what I wrote and honestly I probably won't even edit the post above if it is... haha


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 3, 2014)

bumping it up; tell me what you guys think!


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## erinenvyy (Jan 3, 2014)

I've never had anything like this happen, and I'm awful for keeping things longer than I should... Now I just want to go inspect all my makeup.


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## zadidoll (Jan 3, 2014)

Are you sure that's not wax bloom and it's mold?


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 3, 2014)

> Are you sure that's not wax bloom and it's mold?


 I'm positive it's not Wax Bloom; pursebuzz was just talking about this on her facebook.. EDIT: I've also had this for 6 months and this had never happened until recently.


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## zadidoll (Jan 3, 2014)

Yuk then. Sounds like a bad batch of lipstick then. Hopefully the company will replace it since six months for it to grow mold makes it seem they didn't do that batch right.


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## Sunflowercake (Jan 3, 2014)

I would have e-mailed them as well. Really interested to hear what they say.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 4, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *erinenvyy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I've never had anything like this happen, and I'm awful for keeping things longer than I should... Now I just want to go inspect all my makeup.





I always check my makeup thoroughly like twice a month! Better safe than sorry  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Quote: Originally Posted by *Sunflowercake* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I would have e-mailed them as well. Really interested to hear what they say.

I'm still waiting for a reply.. yikes!

Quote: Originally Posted by *zadidoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Yuk then. Sounds like a bad batch of lipstick then. Hopefully the company will replace it since six months for it to grow mold makes it seem they didn't do that batch right.

It's a ~$25 lipstick but they offered a "special" ONE DAY only and reduced it by 50% off x(


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## gooddeal123 (Jan 5, 2014)

I never wanted it to happen to me. I will contact them and inform them about it.


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## gooddeal123 (Jan 5, 2014)

Makeup I think should last 6 months or less.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 6, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *gooddeal123* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  I never wanted it to happen to me. I will contact them and inform them about it.

I did contact them but there was no reply via email so I used twitter (direct message, of course).. They replied and said "when did you email? As we have had lots of holidays over the festive period please allow extra time. Can you also please confirm what email address you contacted? Thanks" ..I replied with my email and I haven't heard anything since. =(


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## zadidoll (Jan 6, 2014)

What brand is the lipstick from? If I have any from that brand I want to check my own lipsticks or at the very least keep an eye on my lipsticks from that company (if I own any).


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## jmd252 (Jan 6, 2014)

> Makeup I think should last 6 months or less.Â


 Makeup can last various lengths of time, depending on what they are made with, and which preservatives used in their formulations. Most "last" well beyond their expiration dates as well - though whether or not anyone wants to use it at that point is entirely up to them (last as in: no mold, no smell, product performs as usual). Since lipstick is not made with water, I think it is very unusual to hear of it growing mold - especially so quickly. I would say this is either not mold (though I'm not sure what else it could be) and if it is, this manufacturer should not only be willing to compensate, but if they have any type of decent QA department they will request any relevant packaging or lot number info and check the rest of that batch as well.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 6, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *jmd252* /img/forum/go_quote.gif


Makeup can last various lengths of time, depending on what they are made with, and which preservatives used in their formulations. Most "last" well beyond their expiration dates as well - though whether or not anyone wants to use it at that point is entirely up to them (last as in: no mold, no smell, product performs as usual). Since lipstick is not made with water, I think it is very unusual to hear of it growing mold - especially so quickly. I would say this is either not mold (though I'm not sure what else it could be) and if it is, this manufacturer should not only be willing to compensate, but if they have any type of decent QA department they will request any relevant packaging or lot number info and check the rest of that batch as well.

Their response "Please do send us some images in response to this email so that we can look into this. This way we may be able to help explain this or we can send you a replacement."

And in response to the mold with water.. I'm unsure.. I'm 100% sure its not wax and I've had this lipstick for 6 months. I've used it a couple of times and I have never seen the growing bumpy texture until I was checking my items.

Quote: Originally Posted by *zadidoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  What brand is the lipstick from? If I have any from that brand I want to check my own lipsticks or at the very least keep an eye on my lipsticks from that company (if I own any).

I'll message you; I don't want to "blast" the company.


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## jmd252 (Jan 6, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *viccckyhoang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  
Their response "Please do send us some images in response to this email so that we can look into this. This way we may be able to help explain this or we can send you a replacement."

And in response to the mold with water.. I'm unsure.. I'm 100% sure its not wax and I've had this lipstick for 6 months. I've used it a couple of times and I have never seen the growing bumpy texture until I was checking my items.

Six months is still really fast to accumulate mold. If I were that company, I would want to investigate right away. If it is mold, something had to have gone wrong with the formulation or one of the ingredients. I hope they get to the bottom of this for you  /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 11, 2014)

They said that the lipstick is "sweating".. Ehhh; I think not! It doesn't go back to it's original form.. I even told them that the lipstick smells off and the description of the lipstick.. I ended the email with something like I'll take it to my school lab and I'll test it on a plate.. Great; now I need to find my Microbiology teacher.


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## zadidoll (Jan 11, 2014)

Oh if you do post the results. I'd be interested in knowing what happened to that lipstick.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 11, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *zadidoll* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Oh if you do post the results. I'd be interested in knowing what happened to that lipstick.

let's see what the 'brand' will reply with 1st.. I'll probably have to ask my teacher then get an approval from the head chair


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## jocedun (Jan 11, 2014)

Wow, that's so crazy! I didn't even think there were ingredients within lipstick that could mold. :-/ After your ordeal is sorted, I would be really curious as to which brand this was and how they dealt with it. Customer service and quality control is very important to me from cosmetics companies. 

Once I purchased an elf eyeliner set from Hautelook and it arrived completely rusty (the built-in cap sharpeners). They refunded my money in credit and I was please with that solution. However, the whole situation made me very wearily of both Hautelook and Elf cosmetics since obviously one of the companies has a serious quality control issue. The packing of my eyeliners had obviously been water damaged for months (the cardboard was warped and peeling), yet it was still packaged up and sent to me.


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## zadidoll (Jan 11, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *jocedun* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Wow, that's so crazy! I didn't even think there were ingredients within lipstick that could mold. :-/ After your ordeal is sorted, I would be really curious as to which brand this was and how they dealt with it. Customer service and quality control is very important to me from cosmetics companies. 

Once I purchased an elf eyeliner set from Hautelook and it arrived completely rusty (the built-in cap sharpeners). They refunded my money in credit and I was please with that solution. However, the whole situation made me very wearily of both Hautelook and Elf cosmetics since obviously one of the companies has a serious quality control issue. The packing of my eyeliners had obviously been water damaged for months (the cardboard was warped and peeling), yet it was still packaged up and sent to me. 

If you case it would be more on ELF since Hautelook orders directly from the companies they're working with and then repacks the items to ship to customers. Rust takes time to happen which means ELF knew and shipped it to Hautelook though Hautelook could have and should have rejected it and requested a replacement. Unfortunately, they don't order extra for damages which is why they have that no exchange policy.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 13, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *viccckyhoang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  
let's see what the 'brand' will reply with 1st.. I'll probably have to ask my teacher then get an approval from the head chair

okay update; after waiting for their reply they said, "we would be happy to exchange this for you and test this product out further" later on in the email it also says that they will refund the shipping costs.. all they had to say in the beginning was something simple like that.


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## Sunflowercake (Jan 13, 2014)

Interesting that once you said you would test it, they want it back. Glad you are getting a new one.


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## viccckyhoang (Jan 14, 2014)

Quote: Originally Posted by *Sunflowercake* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
  Interesting that once you said you would test it, they want it back. Glad you are getting a new one.

i knowwww; my microbiology teacher isn't replying back to my email but I'm curious. I do want to take it to a lab though since I want to clearly know what it is


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## Sunflowercake (Jan 14, 2014)

I would want to test it myself as well.


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## keshers101 (Apr 18, 2014)

I work for clinique and this actually happened to me at my counter 20 of my long last lipsticks grew white mold!!!!!


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## Sunflowercake (Jul 7, 2014)

@@viccckyhoang Just checking back if anything ever came out of this?


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